Lesson

Speed

Vocabulary for speed and motion

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

What is 'Speed' vocabulary?

Words about speed describe how fast or slow something moves, works, or happens. In business and technical contexts, speed vocabulary helps you talk about performance, delivery times, production rates, and efficiency.

  • Includes nouns (speed, pace, rate), adjectives (fast, rapid), verbs (accelerate, decelerate, speed up).
  • Used in transport, logistics, IT performance, manufacturing, and project management.
  • Learn collocations (speed up, increase the pace, production rate) for natural usage.

Table

Speed Vocabulary: Words and Examples

Word Part of speech Meaning Example
speed noun how fast something moves or operates The delivery speed has improved since last quarter.
fast adjective / adverb quick; at high speed We need a fast response to customer requests.
rapid adjective very quick; happening in a short time There was rapid growth in online sales.
accelerate verb to increase speed or make something happen sooner We plan to accelerate the rollout of the new software.
decelerate verb to reduce speed The car decelerated before the loading dock.
pace noun / verb speed of progress or movement; to control speed Project managers set the pace for the team.
rate noun measure of speed, frequency, or level The production rate reached 200 units per hour.
speed up phrasal verb to make something move or happen faster We need to speed up order processing.

Tip

Key rule: Choose the right word for context

Use nouns for measures, adjectives/adverbs for qualities, and verbs for actions:

  • Noun (measure): Use 'speed' or 'rate' — The download speed is slow.
  • Adjective/adverb (quality): Use 'fast' or 'rapid' — A fast connection; the server responds rapidly.
  • Verb (action): Use 'accelerate', 'decelerate', or 'speed up' — We must accelerate delivery.

For change over time in business, 'rate' and 'pace' are often more precise than 'speed'.

Example

Examples in context

We need to speed up order processing to meet customer demand.

The team accelerated the project timeline by reallocating resources.

Please don't hurry; ensure quality checks are complete before shipping.

The production rate increased after the new equipment was installed.

Tip

Common mistakes with speed vocabulary

Avoid these universal errors when using speed-related words:

  • Using an adjective where an adverb is required (Wrong: 'the server responds quick' — Correct: 'the server responds quickly').
  • Forming wrong comparative structures (Wrong: 'more faster' — Correct: 'faster' or 'more rapid').
  • Confusing noun vs verb use (Wrong: 'We will speed the process' vs 'We will speed up the process' — prefer 'speed up' or 'accelerate').
  • Mixing 'rate' and 'pace' incorrectly — 'rate' is measurable (units/time); 'pace' often refers to rhythm or progress.
  • Overusing vague words like 'fast' in technical contexts where 'rate' or 'throughput' is more precise.

Check part of speech and collocations to choose the correct form.

Quiz

Choose the best word to complete the sentence: Our new firmware will _____ data processing by 30%.

Hint: Think of a phrasal verb meaning 'make faster'.

Quiz

Complete: The production _____ significantly last month.

Hint: Consider the past tense of a phrasal verb meaning 'become faster'.

Quiz

Which sentence uses 'pace' correctly?

Hint: Focus on the collocation with 'pace' as a noun.

Key Points

Vocabulary

speed

noun CEFR B1 //spiːd//

the rate at which something moves or operates

The website's loading speed affects user satisfaction.

Vocabulary

fast

adjective / adverb CEFR A2 //fæst//

moving or operating quickly

We need a fast response from the support team.

Vocabulary

accelerate

verb CEFR B2 //əkˈsɛləreɪt//

to increase speed or make something happen sooner

Management decided to accelerate the product launch.

Vocabulary

decelerate

verb CEFR C1 //diːˈsɛləreɪt//

to reduce speed or slow down

Traffic decelerated significantly near the construction site.

Vocabulary

pace

noun / verb CEFR B2 //peɪs//

the speed of progress or movement; to set or control a speed

Keep a steady pace during the rollout to avoid mistakes.

Vocabulary

rate

noun CEFR B1 //reɪt//

a measured quantity of something per unit (e.g., units per hour)

The error rate dropped after additional training.

Expression

speed up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //spiːd ʌp//

to make something move or happen faster

We must speed up the hiring process to fill the vacancies.